Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Removal

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is a Lipoma?
• Symptoms of Lipoma
• Causes of Lipoma
• When to Call a Doctor
• Lipoma Diagnosis
• Lipoma Removal and Treatment
• Large Lipomas
• More

A lipoma is a lump of fat that grows in your body’s soft tissues. Though it’s classified as a tumor, it’s usually harmless.

It’s the most common tumor to form beneath your skin. About 1 person out of every 1,000 will get one at some point. You most often find them in your upper body, arms, or thighs.

They usually appear as small, soft lumps. They’re typically less than 2 inches wide. You could have more than one.

When you press on the lipoma, it may feel doughy. It will move easily with finger pressure. They don’t normally hurt, but they can cause pain if they bump against nearby nerves or have blood vessels running through them.

It isn’t clear what causes them. Middle-aged men and women tend to get them more. They also run in families.

Lipomas often show up after an injury, though doctors don’t know whether that’s what makes them form.

Inherited conditions can bring them on. Some people who have a rare condition known as Madelung’s disease can get them. This most often affects men of Mediterranean ancestry who have alcohol use disorder.

If you notice a lump or swelling on your body, have a doctor check it out. They can let you know whether it’s a harmless lipoma or something that needs more tests.

Lipomas can form inside muscles or internal organs, but this doesn’t happen often. If one is causing pain or affecting your muscles, you might have to get it removed.

It’s rare, but a lump may be a type of cancer called a liposarcoma, which grows rapidly and can be painful. If your doctor suspects this condition, they’ll suggest more tests.

Lipomas can usually be diagnosed with a physical exam. But you may need a biopsy, in which a small piece of the tissue is removed and looked at under a microscope, to confirm the diagnosis. Tests like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs can also give a clearer picture.

Since lipomas aren’t harmful, doctors often leave them alone. You may need to keep an eye on it between visits.

If one hurts or you don’t like the way it looks, you might want to have it removed. Your doctor can take it out surgically with a small cut. You’ll get a shot of medication to numb the area so it won’t hurt. You should be able to go home after it’s done. You may have to go back within a couple of weeks to get a few stitches taken out.

Other possible treatments include:

• Steroids: This type of drug can help shrink a tumor.
• Liposuction: The doctor uses a needle and syringe to draw out the fatty tissue.

Lipomas bigger than 2 inches are sometimes called giant lipomas. They can cause nerve pain, make you feel self-conscious about your looks, or change the way your clothes fit.

It’s a little harder to take out one of these. The doctor will probably give you medication that will help you sleep through the procedure. You’ll need someone to drive you home afterward.

Lipomas rarely come back once removed. Having one doesn’t make it more likely that you’ll get other diseases.

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Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Removal

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is a Lipoma?
• Symptoms of Lipoma
• Causes of Lipoma
• When to Call a Doctor
• Lipoma Diagnosis
• Lipoma Removal and Treatment
• Large Lipomas
• More

A lipoma is a lump of fat that grows in your body’s soft tissues. Though it’s classified as a tumor, it’s usually harmless.

It’s the most common tumor to form beneath your skin. About 1 person out of every 1,000 will get one at some point. You most often find them in your upper body, arms, or thighs.

They usually appear as small, soft lumps. They’re typically less than 2 inches wide. You could have more than one.

When you press on the lipoma, it may feel doughy. It will move easily with finger pressure. They don’t normally hurt, but they can cause pain if they bump against nearby nerves or have blood vessels running through them.

It isn’t clear what causes them. Middle-aged men and women tend to get them more. They also run in families.

Lipomas often show up after an injury, though doctors don’t know whether that’s what makes them form.

Inherited conditions can bring them on. Some people who have a rare condition known as Madelung’s disease can get them. This most often affects men of Mediterranean ancestry who have alcohol use disorder.

If you notice a lump or swelling on your body, have a doctor check it out. They can let you know whether it’s a harmless lipoma or something that needs more tests.

Lipomas can form inside muscles or internal organs, but this doesn’t happen often. If one is causing pain or affecting your muscles, you might have to get it removed.

It’s rare, but a lump may be a type of cancer called a liposarcoma, which grows rapidly and can be painful. If your doctor suspects this condition, they’ll suggest more tests.

Lipomas can usually be diagnosed with a physical exam. But you may need a biopsy, in which a small piece of the tissue is removed and looked at under a microscope, to confirm the diagnosis. Tests like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs can also give a clearer picture.

Since lipomas aren’t harmful, doctors often leave them alone. You may need to keep an eye on it between visits.

If one hurts or you don’t like the way it looks, you might want to have it removed. Your doctor can take it out surgically with a small cut. You’ll get a shot of medication to numb the area so it won’t hurt. You should be able to go home after it’s done. You may have to go back within a couple of weeks to get a few stitches taken out.

Other possible treatments include:

• Steroids: This type of drug can help shrink a tumor.
• Liposuction: The doctor uses a needle and syringe to draw out the fatty tissue.

Lipomas bigger than 2 inches are sometimes called giant lipomas. They can cause nerve pain, make you feel self-conscious about your looks, or change the way your clothes fit.

It’s a little harder to take out one of these. The doctor will probably give you medication that will help you sleep through the procedure. You’ll need someone to drive you home afterward.

Lipomas rarely come back once removed. Having one doesn’t make it more likely that you’ll get other diseases.

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Lipoma: symptoms, treatment, causes, diagnosis

Surgeon

Bokhyan

Tigran Surenovich

Experience 38 years

Surgeon of the highest category, MD, member of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists

Make an appointment

Lipoma (wen) is a benign formation in the form of small nodules, the appearance of which is associated with the accumulation and compaction of excess adipose tissue. The size of the lipoma may increase or remain stable. Under the influence of adverse factors, foci of pathogenic microflora can form inside the wen, which makes it a source of other serious diseases of the internal organs. Also important is the unaesthetic appearance of the formations protruding on the surface of the skin. Therefore, in most cases, a decision is made to remove the tumor and its subsequent histological examination to clarify the nature of the wen – benign or malignant.

The area of ​​localization of the lipoma is the back, chest, face, limbs, mammary glands, the structure of internal organs. You can detect the formation by chance during diagnostic procedures or during palpation. The edges of the lipoma are dense and clear, the formation is mobile, and its probing is painless. Finding a lipoma in the tissues of internal organs is more difficult. However, it is precisely such cases that are recognized as the most dangerous, threatening violations in the functioning of the affected tissue area.

Classification

Depending on the internal structure, there are:

• Myolipomas are formations from muscle cells.
• Angiolipomas – wen with the inclusion of blood vessels.
• Myxolipomas – tumors with mucus inclusion.
• Fibrolipomas – formations containing connective tissues.

It is possible to accurately determine the nature of education only after a thorough diagnosis. It should not be postponed for the foreseeable future, especially if the lipoma is rapidly increasing in size and causing discomfort.

Causes of lipoma

The general scheme for the appearance of wen is the accumulation of fat cells due to a violation of fat metabolism in the body. If measures to treat the problem are not taken in a timely manner, the formation grows rapidly, squeezing nearby muscles and blood vessels. Among the causes of lipoma, affecting the unfavorable course of pathology, it is worth noting:

• Hormonal disorders, a period of hormonal changes in the body.
• Metabolic failures.
• Violations in the diet with a predominance of food of animal origin.
• Diseases of the kidneys and liver, pancreas and thyroid gland.
• Bad habits.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Genetic predisposition.

Also, the formation of excess adipose tissue is affected by physical inactivity, a sedentary lifestyle and the rejection of full-fledged physical activity.

Symptoms

The main localization of wen is the place of deposition of adipose tissue. Initially, it is a soft seal, which gradually increases in size. The only symptom of a lipoma is the formation of a noticeable tubercle with a movable structure, which is palpable with pressure. Pain during palpation of the lipoma on the back or arms is absent.

If the wen is localized in the structure or on the surface of the internal organs, abnormalities in their work may indicate pathology. Also, the disease is accompanied by characteristic signs:

• lipoma in the esophagus causing cough, nausea and vomiting;
• formations on the bronchi and trachea cause a constant dry cough of a paroxysmal nature;
• lipoma on tendons and cartilage limits their mobility and causes pain;
• wen in the mammary gland gives pain;
• fatty deposits in the kidneys provoke colic, back pain, increased blood pressure;
• lipoma in the head causes dizziness and headache;
• education on the neck interferes with swallowing food, and also causes hoarseness;
• lipoma in the region of the heart causes arrhythmia and heart failure.

Methods for diagnosing lipomas

A long period of hidden flow complicates the diagnosis of soft tissue lipoma in the early stages of development. More often, pathology is detected when the wen reaches a size of 1.5-2 cm and is easily palpable under the skin. To carry out a differentiated diagnosis and confirm the benign nature of education allow:

• Blood tests that exclude infections of a viral or bacterial nature, as well as the absence of an inflammatory process.

• X-ray of the chest, extremities, or abdomen. Allows you to detect the formation, clarify its location, calculate the size and assess the condition of the surrounding tissues.

• Ultrasonography. It is used as an additional diagnostic method, when the presence of a lipoma is confirmed by other methods of examination.

• Computed and magnetic resonance imaging. Effective methods to determine the location and size of the lipoma, as well as confirm its benign nature.

• A biopsy of the tissues of the wen to analyze them for the risk of cell degeneration into a malignant structure.

If the patient has other diseases of the internal organs, the diagnosis of a lipoma is carried out taking into account their characteristics, and the interpretation of the results suggests the mutual influence of pathologies, making it possible to more accurately determine the cause of the appearance of a wen.

Treatment

If small lipomas are found in a patient, expectant management is chosen, which involves ultrasound control several times a year. However, it is not uncommon for a doctor to decide in favor of surgery. The operation is necessary if:

• The tumor grows rapidly, involving neighboring tissues and vessels.
• Lipoma rises above the surface of the skin, giving an unaesthetic cosmetic effect.
• The development of a wen gives persistent pain.
• Due to the growth of adipose tissue, the work of internal organs and the circulatory system is disrupted.

Extraction or destruction of a lipoma on the neck or back is possible in the following ways:

• Endoscopic method. It provides for the removal of the tumor along with the capsule through a small incision in the skin.
• Liposuction – extraction of adipose tissue by softening it and pulling it through a thin needle. Does not leave scars and does not injure the skin.
• Lipoma excision – removal of a wen during a classic surgical intervention.

The optimal method is selected taking into account the general condition of the patient and the size of the lipoma.

Diagnosis and treatment of lipoma in the clinic JSC “Medicina” in Moscow

The clinic of JSC “Medicina” in the Central Administrative District of Moscow is ready to offer professional assistance to patients with suspected single or multiple cases of lipoma development. In the arsenal of the center’s specialists there are high-class equipment and vast practical experience in using various methods for removing a tumor focus. Each patient is guaranteed an attentive attitude, referral to a full course of examinations and an individual approach to the development of tactics for the treatment of lipoma. Appointments are available on the clinic’s website and by phone.

Questions and answers

What does a lipoma look like?

A classic lipoma is an accumulation of excess fat in a dense capsule of connective tissue. The formation is mobile, has clear contours, a smooth surface and sizes from a few mm to 7-8 cm. It is found on palpation or during the examination of internal organs for the diagnosis of other diseases. Pain syndrome with symptoms of lipoma is observed only in cases of circulatory disorders and muscle tightness due to the active growth of the tumor.

How to get rid of lipoma?

Not only official medicine offers its solutions, but also folk methods. However, you should not follow the latter, so as not to cause harm to the body and not to drag out time. Moreover, the risk of resorption of the lipoma is extremely small. Modern methods of treatment involve surgical removal of the tumor or its destruction by laser or radio wave exposure. In some cases, optimal liposuction is softening and “suction” of adipose tissue through a thin needle. The advantages of the method are minimal trauma, no traces on the skin and a short recovery period.

Can a lipoma resolve itself?

Such cases exist in medical practice, but they are isolated. Therefore, it is not worth counting on the spontaneous disappearance of a wen, especially when formations appear in different parts of the body and grow rapidly. The best solution is to ask for help. The doctor will be able to accurately determine the cause of the disease and decide on the quality of treatment – in favor of expectant management with constant monitoring or immediate surgical intervention.

Breast lipoma: symptoms, stages, treatment

Head of the Breast Center

Zhukova

Elena Nikolaevna

Experience 14 years

Oncologist, member of the Russian Society of Mammology, member of RUSSCO (Professional Society of Oncologists-Chemotherapists), member of the European Cancer Society ESMO, American Society for Melanoma Research –SMR

Make an appointment

Among benign breast tumors, a significant proportion is lipoma – a fatty tumor, the development of which is provoked by the action of several internal and external factors at once. Breast lipoma, or a fatty tumor, is diagnosed in more than 10% of patients who turn to specialists about the detection of a dense formation in the breast structure. Modern medicine has studied such cases well and is ready to offer the optimal treatment of pathology with a guarantee of safety for the body.

Causes of breast lipoma formation

Factors that can trigger the formation of a lipoma in the breast are divided into several groups:

• Hormonal. Associated with the period of premenopause, when a global hormonal restructuring occurs in the body. The size of the ovaries decreases, the inner layer of the uterus becomes thinner, and in the breast there is a replacement of glandular tissues with fatty deposits. If these processes are violated, there is a possibility of excessive formation of adipose tissue, which causes the formation of a tumor. There is also a risk of the formation of wen in women of reproductive age, which may be associated with menstrual irregularities, the use of oral contraceptives and the use of hormonal drugs for a long time.
• Metabolic, associated with a violation of the metabolism of fats in the body. High-density lipoprotides can form large clumps and become sheathed with connective tissue. The reason for this phenomenon is physical inactivity, a diet with a predominance of animal products, diseases of the endocrine system, etc.
• Genetic, associated with the influence of a hereditary factor. Defects in the HMG I-C gene cause lipomatosis – diseases associated with the deposition of adipose tissue in various parts of the body.
• External. Uncomfortable underwear, chest injuries, previous surgeries, bad habits, frequent stress, etc. can cause the formation of a wen.

Simultaneous impact on the body of several of these factors leads to excessive production of adipose tissue and its encapsulation – the conclusion of a dense shell, which gives mobility to the structure of the tumor and makes it easy to feel it under the skin layer. In medicine, there have been cases of the transformation of a benign formation into an oncological process in patients with oncology or in those women whose families have cases of breast cancer.

Symptoms

You can detect fatty formation by chance during examination or palpation of the mammary gland. The knot is indicated as it reaches a size of about 1.5-2 cm. more often the area of ​​​​its localization is the upper outer part of the mammary gland. Education can be single or paired. When probing, you can establish the following symptoms of breast lipoma:

• Round or oval.
• Smooth surface with clear contours.
• Elastic, dense or pasty consistency, the nature of which is associated with a particular type of tumor.
• Painless.
• Mobility.

Pain in lipoma is extremely rare. Its appearance is associated with tumor growth and compression of muscle tissue or blood vessels, which causes circulatory disorders and tissue injury.

Diagnostics

A preliminary diagnosis of “lipoma of the mammary gland” is usually made during the initial examination by a mammologist and palpation of the mammary gland. To accurately establish the nature of education, a differentiated diagnosis is required, which implies the exclusion of other diseases with similar symptoms. The list of required studies includes:

• Consultation with an oncologist, gynecologist and mammologist.
• Blood test for tumor markers.
• Breast ultrasound.
• Biochemical blood test.
• Mammography.
• Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
• Biopsy of tissues obtained by puncture using a long needle.

The results of the conducted research allow not only to reveal the nature of education, but also with a high degree of probability to name the reasons for its occurrence.

Lipoma treatment

If the tumor grows extremely slowly or is in a stable condition, an observation tactic with an ultrasound examination is provided at least once every six months. If concomitant pathologies are found in the body, profile treatment is prescribed with the obligatory control of lipoma.

The decision on surgical intervention for breast lipoma is made if:

• The formation rapidly increases in size.
• The patient notes a persistent pain syndrome.
• The tumor is of considerable size, distorting the natural shape of the breast.
• There are signs of necrosis of gland tissues.
• There is a high risk of malignant degeneration of the tumor due to the hereditary factor.

The technique of surgical intervention in the treatment of breast lipoma is selected taking into account the size and location of the lipoma:

• Enucleation – removal of a wen with a capsule by the method of classical surgery or endoscopic intervention, which is carried out through thin skin punctures. The destruction of the tumor is carried out under the influence of radio waves or a laser beam.
• Removal of adipose tissue while preserving the membrane (aspiration). The procedure is less traumatic and leaves no marks on the skin. However, the preservation of the capsule may cause re-accumulation of excess adipose tissue inside.
• Partial resection (removal) of the mammary gland. It is used in case of a high risk of degeneration of the tissues of the wen into a malignant formation. The operation covers the area of ​​the tumor and adjacent tissues. The extracted contents are subjected to histological analysis, if symptoms of oncology are detected, adjacent tissues and lymph nodes are subject to removal.

During the rehabilitation period, the patient is prescribed antibiotics, vitamins and immunomodulators.

Treatment prognosis

In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis for lipoma treatment is favorable. Especially if the patient asked for help at the initial stage of education development and strictly follows the recommendations for regular monitoring by a mammologist.

Diagnosis and treatment of breast lipoma in the clinic of JSC “Medicina”

Specialists of the clinic JSC “Medicina” in the Central Administrative District of Moscow invite patients with suspected benign tumors in the tissues of the mammary glands. Our own diagnostic center with high-precision equipment will allow you to conduct the necessary examinations and accurately identify the nature of the pathology, as well as decide on the need for surgical intervention. It is possible to participate in the diagnosis and treatment of other specialized specialists. Call to make an appointment with a mammologist and receive additional consultations. The recording is also available on the clinic’s website.

Questions and answers

What is a breast lipoma?

Lipoma, or fatty tumor, is a dense benign formation inside the mammary gland, consisting of adipose tissue. It has a polyetiological nature, which means development under the influence of several pathogenic factors at once. With slow growth or stable condition does not require treatment. In the case of active growth, the patient is shown surgery.

What does a breast lipoma look like?

Excessive division of fat cells in the structure of the breast leads to the appearance of a dense formation, which, as it grows, separates from other tissues and acquires an independent mobile structure.